Balloting-machine.



PATENTED SEPT. 6, 1904.

W. M. DOUGHERTY. BALLOTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

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. UNITED STATES Patented September 6, 1904.

\VILLIAM M. DOUGHERTY, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

BALLOTlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFIOATIQN formingpart of Letters Patent No. 769,537, dated Sep er 6, 1904..

Original application filed June 4, 1902, Serial No. 110,161. Divided and this application filed March 11, 1904. Serial 1'0 all w/wm zit may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM M. DOUGH- ERTY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri, have invented a new and Improved Balloting-Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This application is a division of my application for patent on balloting-machines filed June 4t, 1902, Serial No. 110,161.

The present invention relates to certain improved interlocking devices by which a voter is prevented from operating more than one of the counters at the same time.

This specification is an exact description of one example of my invention, while the claims define the actual scope thereof.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a balloting-machine having my improvement applied. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a plan viewof one of the sections or lock-plates.

12 indicates the arms which operate the counters, one of which counters is indicated in outline in Fig. 1.

To prevent two or more of the arms 12 from being drawn down simultaneously, I provide the lock-plates 53. These lock-plates are one for each numbering device or counter and are mounted horizontally, so that all of the lockplates of one horizontal row are in alinement. The ends of said lock-plates are beveled, as indicated at 53, and these beveled ends are reduced and overlapped, as indicated best in Fig. 2. It will be observed that by reducing the ends of the loclvplates shoulders are formed which limit the independent sliding movement of the locl; plates. Suitablymounted springs 54L are provided for each lockplate, these springs engaging studs 53" on the lock-plates yieldingly to hold them in the intermediate position. (Shown in Fig. 2.) 55 indicates pins or screws Which are passed through longitudinally-disposed slots 53 in the lock-plates, and by means of these devices (No model.)

the lock-plates are mounted to have a limited horizontal movement independently of each other. The beveled ends 53 of the loch-plates lie immediately under the arms 12, as shown in Fig. 2. hen one of the arms is drawn downward, it engages the beveled edges 53 below it and divides the lock-plates into two divisions, the shoulders (formed by the reduced ends of the lock-plates) engaging in pairs and causing the two divisions of lockplates to move as units toward the respective ends of the row of numbering devices. This allows the said arm which has been operated to move down wholly unobstructed; but it displaces the lock-plates with respect to the other arms, and as these arms are in a raised position it will be impossible to move them downward so long as the first arm is lowered. If it be attempted to move all of the arms 12 down simultaneously, it is clear that there will be no relative movement of the lock-plates 53, and consequently all of the arms will be locked. The springs 54: serve to hold the lock-plates in the position shown in Fig. 2; but they yield to permit the lock-plates to move toward either end, as their operation may require.

Various changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of my invention may be resorted to at will without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Hence I consider myself entitled to all such variations as may lie within the intent of myclaims.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a balloting-machine, the combination with the swinging arms to register the ballots, of the lock-plates having beveled and reduced contiguous ends lying adjacent to the arms, said contiguous ends of the lock-plates being overlapped at their reduced portions.

2. In a balloting-machine, the combination with the swinging arms which register the ballots, of the lock-plates having beveled contiguous ends lying adjacent to the arms and said lock-plates having limited independent sliding movement, and springs respectively engaged with the lock-plates for holding said lockplates independently yieldingly in position.

3. In a balloting-machine, the combination of the swinging arms which register the ballots, lock-plates having beveled contiguous ends lying adjacent to the arms, said lockplates having limited independent sliding movement, for the purpose specified, and each lock-plate having a stud thereon, and springs supported independently of the lock-plates, said springs having arms lying on opposite sides of the studs and serving to hold the lockplates yieldingly in central position.

4. In a balloting-machine, the combination with the arms which register the ballots, of the lock-plates having beveled contiguous ends lying adjacent to the arms, the said contiguous ends of the lock-plates being overlapped and having shoulders to limit their independent movement.

5. In a balloting-machine, the combination with the arms which register the ballots, of the lock-plates having beveled contiguous ends lying adjacent to the arms, the said contiguous ends of the lock-plates being overlapped and the lock-plates having limited, independentlyslidable movement, and a spring for each lockplate, said springs respectively yieldingly holding the lock-plates.

6. In a balloting-machine, the combination with the movable arms which register the ballots, of the lock-plates having beveled and reduced contiguous ends lying adjacent to the arms, said contiguous ends of the lock-plates being overlapped at their reduced portions and the lock-plates having independent sliding movement, and a spring for each lock-plate, said springs respectively yieldinglyholding the lock-plates.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

W'ILLIAM M. DOUGHERTY.

WVitnesses:

AMELIA J. DOUGHERTY, Mrs. ROBERT R. POTEET. 

